HTC published the statement in response to YouTube videos that depict the newly released HD7 handset losing signal strength when gripped, Computer Weekly reports.

"Quality in industrial design is of key importance to HTC. To ensure the best possible signal strength, antennas are placed in the area least likely to be covered by a person's face or hands while the phone is in use," the statement read.

"However, it is inevitable that a phone's signal strength will weaken a little when covered in its entirety by a user's palm or fingers. We test all of our phones extensively and are confident that under normal circumstances reception strength and performance will be more than sufficient for the operation of the phone when network coverage is also adequate," the statement continued.

Apple found itself the center of a similar controversy this summer after the media picked up reports that the iPhone 4 suffered from a loss of reception when held at the bottom left corner. Dubbed "Antennagate," the controversy came to a head when Consumer Reports rescinded its recommendation of the iPhone 4.

During a July press conference addressing the issue, Apple CEO Steve Jobs called the issue "a challenge for the entire industry," saying that "every phone has weak spots." Jobs then highlighted handsets from other companies, including HTC, that also experience similar antenna issues.

Apple subsequently added a new section to its website, informing consumers of potential signal loss on the iPhone 4. In addition to the iPhone, smartphones from several other makers were highlighted as well, though the references to competitors' phones were eventually removed.

HTC quickly responded, objecting to being specifically called out by Jobs. "The reception problems are certainly not common among smartphones," said HTC Chief Financial Officer Hui-Meng Cheng.

Good example of the strength of herds of animals, flocks of birds, or schools of fish. One goes down and the rest just go on. Apple, being a singular product, stumbles and the world holds its breath. HTC gets taken down by wolves and the other 'droids hardly notice. Nor, more importantly, do the customers.

Very important phrase. It even appeared in the infamous anti-iPhone Consumer Reports article. As with the iPhone 4, the real issue is that your carrier's service blows giant chunks. Not that something is seriously wrong with the design of the device

I have an HD7.. it's an awesome phone! I tried gripping the phone like crazy and couldn't get it to lose it's signal completely.... granted I was TRYING to impact performance with the grip and could only affect it a little. The huge 4.3" screen makes it a bigger phone and therefore has a larger circumference to cover with your hand.. although not sure that matters since the antenna is shielded and not on the outside of the phone.

Good example of the strength of herds of animals, flocks of birds, or schools of fish. One goes down and the rest just go on. Apple, being a singular product, stumbles and the world holds its breath. HTC gets taken down by wolves and the other 'droids hardly notice. Nor, more importantly, do the customers.

Interesting. So then do you see Android as having the more robust ecosystem, given the genetic diversity?

HTC-GATE.
Wow, HTC went as far as saying that their phones reception is not affected by how you hold their phones. Now HTC is defending their Death Grip issue. What a turn of events.
Perhaps it's time for HTC to give out free cases like Apple did or are they too cheap.

The difference is that HTC is the darling of tech bloggers. They can do no wrong. There were actually quite a bunch of issues with the build quality of various HTC handsets, but you don't see tech bloggers writing book-long articles about them. On the other hand, anything Apple did/said is going to be scrutinized two times over as it draws a ton of clicks. So this is probably only going to be an issue for a couple of days, if not less, at best, and everybody will move on.

The difference is that HTC is the darling of tech bloggers. They can do no wrong. There were actually quite a bunch of issues with the build quality of various HTC handsets, but you don't see tech bloggers writing book-long articles about them. On the other hand, anything Apple did/said is going to be scrutinized two times over as it draws a ton of clicks. So this is probably only going to be an issue for a couple of days, if not less, at best, and everybody will move on.

They are whose darling? The only ones who matter are customers, not a load of web geeks.

I have an HD7.. it's an awesome phone! I tried gripping the phone like crazy and couldn't get it to lose it's signal completely.... granted I was TRYING to impact performance with the grip and could only affect it a little. The huge 4.3" screen makes it a bigger phone and therefore has a larger circumference to cover with your hand.. although not sure that matters since the antenna is shielded and not on the outside of the phone.

Just like many people here (and elsewhere) said they tried to cause their iPhones to lose antenna signals, but could not.

But the press (and extremely likely commentators like you) completely ignored those reports.

I demand a hardware recall, a free case, or a credit for my dropped calls! No, I don't own a HTC phone (own iP4), but how many 'antennagate' posters didn't own an iPhone 4 but still felt the need to vent their feigned "frustration." ;-) Yeah, it probably won't make a big media splash because few care when the target is something other than a juicy Apple.

HTC-GATE.
Wow, HTC went as far as saying that their phones reception is not affected by how you hold their phones. Now HTC is defending their Death Grip issue. What a turn of events.
Perhaps it's time for HTC to give out free cases like Apple did or are they too cheap.

Competion always looks to put salt on the wounds. SHAME ON HTC!!

You have to understand the original iPhone problem in order to understand this one.

The problem that is (for mobiles) essentially unique to the iPhone 4 (because of the external antenna) is the ability to detune the antenna by simply touching it. This is basically the same issue as when you touch a TV or radio antenna with your hand and it loses signal.

The reason has to do with the antenna being designed in a very specific way to receive and transmit the
required frequencies, and when you touch it you essentially change the properties of the antenna which reduces its ability to receive and transmit on the required frequencies.

The other issue that can occur with any mobile or any transmitting device at all is attenuation, or simply that you can block the signal if you wrap enough material around the antenna.

When Apple started receiving flack for the antenna problem Jobs redefined the problem from being a detuning issue (which was an iPhone issue) to an attenuation issue (which is a problem for any company that makes a transmitting device).

However in most of the competitors comments they are actually talking about the iPhone's detuning, not attenuation.

Apple pushed this home by showing competitor after competitor with attenuation issues... and then started the free case program - which actually fixes the detuning problem!

I think the message that Jobs was trying to put across was that all mobile phones have issues which is actually quite valid. They might be with the screen, the battery, the reception or something else. The important thing was that the positives of the iPhone 4 outweighed the negatives.

So to address your comment directly.

One Cheng didn't say "their phones reception is not affected by how you hold their phones" but that "the reception problems are certainly not common among smart phones" in reference to the iPhone detuning problem.

Two, no HTC will not give out free cases like Apple and it's not because they are cheap. It's because the problem that the HD7 is the same as every other mobile manufacturer and a case won't change anything (it may even hinder the signal more!).

This is distinctly different to the detuning issue the iPhone has with its external antenna, which a case does fix.

You'll notice I tried simply tried to present a description above.

My personal opinion is that the deflection of the issue from Jobs was actually quite a brilliant move, although a little disingenuous and ultimately confusing for iPhone owners.

I believe the free case program was the correct way to handle the issue. From all accounts users need to be in a susceptible area (which are not widespread) for detuning to have any effect. A recall would have been taking it too far, and simply not doing anything wouldn't have been enough.

Although the free case program has finished I still don't see the antenna detuning to be a major issue. As Jobs said the iPhone isn't perfect. It's a flawed device (as are all mobile phones in one way or another). The iPhone 4 is actually in a better position in some respects because the issue can be simply fixed by purchasing a case.

I think every iPhone owner should have a anyway. The hardened glass is great for scratches, but it really feels like it's going to shatter if dropped.

You have to understand the original iPhone problem in order to understand this one.

The problem that is (for mobiles) essentially unique to the iPhone 4 ...

A lot of meaningless blather that adds up to a great effort to establish a distinction where there is no difference. The only thing that matters to the user is whether there is signal loss, not what causes it. So, unless you can show that it's a qualitatively different signal loss -- which it is not -- you're just spouting nonsense.

All rubbish, I can clench my fist around my cars FM antenna and IT MAKES NO DIFFERENCE.

This "detuning" bulldust is a MYTH!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Firefly7475

You have to understand the original iPhone problem in order to understand this one.

The problem that is (for mobiles) essentially unique to the iPhone 4 (because of the external antenna) is the ability to detune the antenna by simply touching it. This is basically the same issue as when you touch a TV or radio antenna with your hand and it loses signal...

...blah, blah, blah.

Better than my Bose, better than my Skullcandy's, listening to Mozart through my LeBron James limited edition PowerBeats by Dre is almost as good as my Sennheisers.